1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to sleepers for infants, and more particularly to an incline sleeper that enables an infant to sleep in a supine, inclined position.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Webb et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,413, teaches an infant restraint that includes a planar foam padding that is adapted to be mounted in a rectangular plastic bin. The planar foam padding includes a depression shaped to receive an infant. The Webb reference does not teach a device that holds the infant at an incline, and does not teach a plurality of padded inserts that have infant-receiving depressions that vary in size, to accommodate the infant as he grows.
Other references, including Fuller et al., U.S. Pat. No. D259,458, and Tingley et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,109, teach a support pad or pillow that includes an upper surface that has a slight incline for supporting an infant's head above his or her feet.
The above-described references are hereby incorporated by reference in full.
The prior art teaches a pillow, alone, that has a top surface that is slightly inclined. The prior art also teaches a plastic support tray for holding a flat pillow. However, the prior art does not teach an incline sleeper that includes a plastic support tray and a pillow that together support an infant in a supine position on a top surface that is inclined about 15 degrees. The prior art also does not teach an incline sleeper that includes a plurality of resilient inserts that enable the incline sleeper to be adapted to the infant as the infant grows.
The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.